North America Defence News

Canada; Government mull ex-Australian Super Hornets

The Canadian government is looking at buying second-hand fighter jets from Australia instead of buying a new fleet of 18 Super Hornets from Boeing.

The government is refusing to sign a planned multibillion-dollar contract for Super Hornets as long as Boeing pursues its complaint against Bombardier at the International Trade Commission in the US, The globe and the mail reported quoting Federal officials as saying Tuesday.

A Canadian delegation was in Australia last month to see if the second-hand F/A-18 fighters placed on the market could fit Ottawa’s needs for interim fleet.

Boeing complained in April to the US Department of Commerce that Bombardier's C Series planes were unfairly subsidized by the Canadian and Quebec governments. Last year, Bombardier sold 75 109-seat CS100 planes to Delta Air Lines at a cut-rate cost, which led to Boeing's accusation of predatory pricing.

Bombardier has denied any wrongdoing and is currently defending itself in front of the International Trade Commission.